On Tuesday, Greenlanders will cast their votes in what has to be the most closely watched election this island has ever held, as President Trump asserts again and again that he wants the US to take over Greenland. He has refused to rule out force, and in his recent speech to Congress, he made a direct plea to the Greenlanders themselves, promising, “We will make you rich.” All the attention he has paid has drawn a wave of journalists, diplomats, social media influencers and investors to the Arctic.
Greenland’s leading political parties are presenting diffe rent visions for the future, and some are pushing for a new relationship with the US and quick independence from Denmark, which colonised Greenland hundreds of years ago and still controls some of its affairs.
But for many of Greenland’s 56,000 residents — a tiny population on the world’s biggest island — geopolitics is not apriority. At a recent town hall debate and in interviews with voters, Greenlanders expressed much more prosaic worries, often about living costs, unemployment, schools and health care. “The geopolitical debates might dominate headlines, but for the average voter, daily life matters more,” said Rasmus Leander Nielsen, a political scientist.
People on the island say they’re worried about higher housing costs and economic uncertainty. “This election is a test of where Greenlanders see their future — both in their everyday lives and on the global stage,” Nielsen said. “The question is whether voters will prioritise immediate economic concerns or the bigger geopolitical picture. It’s a tough call.”
At the heart of the election is the question of control. For over 200 years, Greenland was ruled as a distant colony of Denmark, its Inuit population largely sidelined as Danish officials controlled its land and resources. Over time, pressure for self-rule grew, leading to greater autonomy and eventually a govt of its own. Today, Greenland controls most domestic af fairs, while Denmark still oversees defence, foreign policy and monetary matters. But full independence is a challenge. Denmark’s financial support covers more than half of Greenland’s budget, making economic stability a key hurdle to sovereignty.
Nearly all major parties agree that Greenland should become independent — it’s just a question of when and how. They also differ on what the island’s ultimate relationship should be with the US and Denmark. No major politicians have expressed a desire to become an American state, and polls show that 85% of Greenlanders don’t want that. But some candidates, including Kuno Fencker, a member of the Naleraq party, believe that Greenland should establish close ties with the US.
The US has maintained a military presence on Greenland since WWII. “The US is here to stay,” Fencker said. Other parties, including the Demokraatit, are more cautious. “We must not push for independence at the expense of our people,” said Bo Martinsen, a Demokraatit candidate. Trump’s attention has intensified the conversation about independence and what Greenland should do if it breaks off from Denmark.
